The assassination of John F. Kennedy Nov. 22, 1963, in broad daylight is one of those cases that has never truly been closed, in part because the American public has refused to let it go. Instead of just accepting the information that has been given, conspiracy theories have always existed regarding the circumstances surrounding the president's death. One thing that has often been called into question has been the ability of the Secret Service to keep Kennedy safe on that day. A new report says JFK's detail partied the night before the president was shot.
According to a new report by Vanity Fair, the first bullet that went through Kennedy's neck did not actually kill him, and there was actually a five-second pause before the next bullet hit him. If his White House security detail had been on top of their game, many believe Kennedy might have survived the attempt. On the night before Kennedy's assassination, it has been confirmed that his Secret Service team partied hard at a bar called Cellar and that they were likely hurting the next morning rather than being as sharp as the should have been.
"Roy Kellerman, the leader of the security detail, did not seem to know what was happening. He thought a firecracker had gone off. William Greer, at the wheel of the president's car, did not immediately speed up or swerve away from the shots. Paul Landis, in the vehicle trailing Kennedy's, did not jump forward to protect the president with his body; neither did Jack Ready. Clint Hill, riding a few feet behind and to the president's left, was part of the First Lady's detail. After the fatal shot was fired, he leapt onto the rear of the presidential limousine and kept her from jumping off the back," says the new report.
The feeling seems to be that each of these men was too hung over from the previous night to be at their sharpest, and it ultimately cost Kennedy his life. Hill later admitted he felt responsible for the assassination being successful and that it is a guilt he will live with until he dies.
So many theories have come out over the years, many based on the fact that this security detail basically did nothing to save their boss.
Do you think the reason is as simple as them all being sluggish due to having a late night, or do you think they were all part of a sinister plot to kill Kennedy themselves? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
